The Cat Empire, Clary BabyBrown & Mama Kin @ HordernPavilion, Sydney (29/8/10)

Mon 6th Sep, 2010 in Gig Reviews

“I’m gonna beat at your window, holler at your door…” Mama Kin, all flowery dresses and mile-wide smiles, is teaching her four thousand-odd new friends how to sing along to one of her rootsy adventures in swinging pop-jazz. The moment comes for us to sing, and the clarity and enthusiasm is remarkable.

An unknown to most of the audience, it hasn’t taken very long at all for Kin to worm her way into the ears, mouths and hearts of the unsuspecting masses – and it certainly wasn’t any kind of hostile takeover. As a performer, she’s instantly likeable and a giddy joy to watch, shimmying about the stage as her keyboardist Michael and drummer George lay down a variety of swinging salsas to croon atop. How refreshing to see such a genuine and free-spirited musician make so much out of a very early start and be the catalyst of bring the audience together for the start of the evning. Definitely a must-see, and hopefully a go-to girl for festival season.

In what was a cunningly brilliant juxtaposition, Clary ‘Baby’ Browne frankly did not give a damn about the audience she was there to perform for. Nor did her Bangin’ Rackettes, the name given to her nine-piece backing band – including three sparkling go-go-dancing back-up singers. This might have left some of the ever-increasing audience out in the cold, but in reality we were simply bearing witness to what was a very well done cabaret. Brown, centre-stage and staking out her territory, is equal parts Shirley Bassey and Amy Winehouse, a neo-soul powerhouse with a particular interest in the type of performance you’d only be able to find these days in crackly black-and-white. Brown’s quite clearly not in it to tug the heartstrings or even to come across as relatable – it’s all tassles, teased hair, choreography and a hearty dose of showman – sorry, woman – ship. Inventive? Original? Heavens, no, dear. Not that it matters to this kind of band – especially when it’s so evident the group are enjoying themselves so much with a tight, circulating groove of tasteful guitar solos, funked-out horns and all the shoobi-do-wap you could ask for. All class, all fun.

It may have been three years between records, but the Cat Empire never stopped touring relentlessly on a worldwide basis. It’s this workman-like reputation that almost makes their studio albums irrelevant – if you’re going to listen to the Empire, it’s got to be while they are actually performing the songs in front of you. Here, at their largest headlining show to date in Sydney, they proved this hypothesis with a set that, while at times overbearing, was nonetheless a shining example of what these six (eight, counting the horns section) gents are capable of as musicians.

Wherever you looked during the band’s extensive set, there was something interesting to be a spectator for. Co-frontman Felix Riebl is all smiles and swinging charm, with a wireless mic allowing frequent vacations to the far end of either side of the stage, leading en-masse singalongs through older favourites like Sly and How To Explain? from the first two records. Up the back, Will Hull-Browne flies about the kit, seamlessly transitioning from four-on-the-floor to jazzy lightning-flash fills throughout several set highlights. Off to the side, Ollie McGill, face screwed up and mouthing the melodies of his keyboard, remains the sextet’s backbone – even with a bandaged hand, he still fails to miss a single beat during the set, even nailing some wailing solos.

For what it’s worth, however, you’re not going to find a more genuinely entertaining member of the band than Harry James Angus. Allowed to spread his creative wings with two albums under the Jackson Jackson moniker, Angus has returned to the Empire fold with more skills and performance ability than ever before. When he’s not displaying his masterful abilities on the trumpet, he takes centre stage to sing some of the band’s finest tracks. These range from latest album Cinema’s highlight The Heart Is A Cannibal right back to the self-titled record of 2003, and the gyspy-folk/jazz adventure known as The Wine Song. During extended jamming, he was even allowed a scat solo – something you’d rarely see outside of a smoky jazz room, yet alone a venue like the Hordern. It was risky in that the younger audience could have quickly lost interest, and yet Angus’ flooring abilities and on-stage persona captured both one’s attention and imagination right down to the very last skiddly-bop. Cat knows how to groove.

At just over two hours, the Empire have a live show that can be demanding for some. Every track is extended beyond its studio length, exposing both the strong and weak points of each in the process. Too much emphasis was made of the latest album, too, with nearly every song from Cinema given an airing when there could have easily been more of a democratic setlist. For every fault, however, nothing else mattered once Harry signalled the intro of finale The Chariot with his unmistakable trumpet melody. Like the bugle calling soldiers to battle, this brought the capacity crowd in a unity of dancing, whole-hearted singing and good vibes.

Make what you will of the band’s discography in your own time, but the reality is that this is a practically untouchable group of musicians in the live environment. It’s where they thrive, and where background music at upper-class dinner parties comes to roaring life. When you put in the effort to go the distance of a Cat Empire show, it pays off significantly. Try it sometime, won’t you?

Check out the photos from the gig